Train trips are back in fashion and we think they’re fantastic! They’re a great way to see the scenic countryside, and to easily move between multiple countries and destinations. Plus, they’re an adventure in themselves and eco-friendly! What more could you ask for?
In the U.S. we don’t have as extensive a passenger rail network as you’ll find in other parts of the world, so you might not be tuned in to the beauty of using train travel to your advantage while on vacation. If you have considered train travel, or if you know you’d like to see many countries in one adventure and aren’t sure how yet – this is the perfect beginner’s guide to multi-country train travel.
There are four main types of train travel, particularly in Europe. The first step to your multi-country adventure is figuring out which style of train trip you’d like to take!
Point-to-Point & Night Trains
Best For: Confident travelers or those working with a travel advisor. Flexible schedules or when you have a very specific list of places you want to see.
This is the most complex way to use trains, but also the most flexible. That is because you’re booking multiple specific trains to multiple specific places throughout your trip. You can decide exactly which cities you visit and when with this kind of train trip. This style is easiest when you have your friendly neighborhood travel advisor to help you (ahem – reach out here!).
You can piece your itinerary together by utilizing the local train websites, or your travel advisor can do it for you. On some legs of the trip, you may want to consider a night train. You’ll need to visit specific night-train companies like Nightjet or European Sleeper.
Utilizing night trains will not only save you the cost of a hotel – they’re an efficient way to travel if you’re short on time. Instead of spending a whole day of vacation traveling, you arrive at a new destination after a good night’s sleep!
Popular night train routes:
Munich, Germany – Bologna, Italy
Vienna, Austria – Rome, Italy
Salzburg, Austria – Florence, Italy
Brussels, Belgium – Prague, Czechia
Copenhagen, Denmark – Stockholm, Sweden
Stockholm, Sweden – Oslo, Norway
Eurail Global Pass
Best For: Those who want to see as many places as possible in a shorter amount of time.
The Eurail Global Pass is another way to customize your train trip but with a bit more structure and regulation. It is essentially Interrailing for travelers living outside the EU. It lets you hop on and hop off the trains with an all-in-one ticket so you don’t have to buy a separate ticket for each leg of the journey. It’s important to note, however, that during peak times on popular routes you may want to pay extra for pre-assigned seats on certain trains.
There are several Pass options. From traveling every day within a given timeframe (i.e. each day of 2 weeks) to travel a certain number of days on a more flexible basis ( ie. Any 10 days within 2 months).
Popular Eurrail Routes:
European Capitals: London – Paris – Brussels – Amsterdam – Berlin – Prague – Vienna – Budapest – Belgrade – Sofia. (You can break this up into any section to hit just a few of these amazing cities.)
Food and drink adventure: San Sebastian – Barcelona -Lyon – Geneva -Bologna -Graz
Off the beaten path adventure: Helsinki – Tallinn – Riga – Vilnius – Warsaw – Krakow – Budapest
A mix of classic & new: Milan – Verona –
Venice – Trieste – Ljubljana – Zagreb.
Specialty Trains
Best For: Those who want a luxury train trip, where it’s as much about the journey as the destination.
These trains include our favorite luxury trains. They are an experience in and of themselves, and you can consider them a bit like a land cruise. Specialty trains are a single train with multiple stops or countries on its route.
These specialty trains include the Venice Simplon Orient Express. Which goes from Paris to Venice in one night ( a luxury sleeper),
The Eastern and Oriental Express which travels through Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. This unique train journeys through natural landscapes and parts of Southeast Asia that you rarely see in typical travel. The train is luxurious and there’s time to get off and explore at each stop.
And The Ghan, which travels across the continent of Australia from Adelaide to Darwin. A two-day mammoth journey through incredible landscapes.
Pre-Packaged Trips
Best If: You’ve never traveled outside the country before, or if you’re traveling in a large group.
The middle ground between Point-to-point and Specialty trains. Pre-packaged trips take different trains and have more flexibility a single special train, but they are still specific routes on specific dates. They’re a bit like your classic bus tour, only via rail.
There are several providers of these trips – which your travel advisor will work with. They pre-plan a route, hotels, and some activities for you so you don’t have to worry about any of the details. Sometimes they will have a guide who helps you every step of the way. And sometimes they are a bit more independent, without a guide but still with an assistance call line available.
Whether you choose an escorted tour with a guide or a pre-packaged tour on your own, you get the joy of traveling by train without worrying about multiple tickets, where you’re going next, or how you’re getting there. It’s all taken care of before you go.
The drawback of these kinds of trips is that they have specific dates and schedules already set. As with cruises and big bus tours, these trips have less flexibility and require you to fit with their itinerary instead of the other way around.
Popular pre-packaged trips:
London – Lille- Nimes- Valencia- Andalucia – Seville – Cordoba
Zurich -Lucerne – Interlaken – Zermatt
Rome – Venice – Salzburg – Munich
Madrid -Seville -Cordoba – Granada – Malaga – Barcelona
Zurich -St. Moritz – Zermatt -Basel
Which style of train travel appeals most to you? Once you decide the best style of travel for your perfect adventure – the rest falls into place! If you’re ready to enjoy an epic multi-country train adventure, let us know! We’re always here to help.
[Photo Credit: Fairmont Hotels]
